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Associated Press:
Hamas Leader Badly Hurt in Israeli Bombing — A Hamas militant leader who has topped Israel's most-wanted list for a decade was badly wounded and underwent four hours of spinal surgery Wednesday after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike, security officials said.
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Sam F. Ghattas / Associated Press:
Israeli warplanes attack Beirut airport — BEIRUT, Lebanon - Israel intensified its attacks against Lebanon on Thursday, blasting Beirut's international airport and the southern part of the country in its heaviest air campaign against its neighbor in 24 years. Nearly three dozen civilians were killed, officials said.
CNN:
Israel strikes Beirut airport, blocks ports — BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) — Israeli aircraft bombed Beirut International Airport on Thursday before blocking naval traffic in Lebanese waters as Israel expanded its military campaign against Hezbollah guerrillas who kidnapped two Israeli soldiers.
Ynetnews:
Al-Aqsa leader: West Bank rocket war is on — Terror leader announces start of missile barrage nearing Israel's main population centers — While Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip have been contending with almost daily missile attacks, Palestinian rockets will now be launched regularly …
Ravi Nessman / Associated Press:
Israel Hits Lebanon After Troops Snatched — Israel bombed and shelled southern Lebanon and sent ground troops over the border for the first time in six years Wednesday after Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers. The fighting killed eight Israeli soldiers and three Lebanese.
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Pajamas Media:
Widening Into War?: The Israeli Response in Lebanon and Gaza — July 12, 2006 19:11 PDT An unconfirmed Debka File report asserts that "Iran's national security adviser Ali Larijani flies to Damascus aboad special military plane Wednesday night as war tension builds.... Iranian air force …
Ze'ev Schiff / Haaretz:
ANALYSIS: Israel is at risk of embarking on three-front war — Two weeks after the start of the IDF's extensive operation in the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah opened a second front on the northern border. The second front, which could expand into Israel, started just as the first did …
Associated Press:
Kassam fired from Gaza, no damage — Palestinians fired a Kassam from northern Gaza Thursday morning. No one was wounded and no damage was caused by the rocket which landed south of Ashkelon. The IDF was responding with artillery fire from outside the Strip.
Greyhawk / Mudville Gazette:
SPEAKING OF IRAQ... When you give a speech, your opening remarks set the tone. You must make your key points early (and often) or risk them being lost on all but the most intent listeners. The same is true for writing - or reporting. Your opening paragraphs establish your story.
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Kate Zernike / New York Times:
Administration Prods Congress to Curb the Rights of Detainees — WASHINGTON, July 12 — A day after saying that terror suspects had a right to protections under the Geneva Conventions, the Bush administration said Wednesday that it wanted Congress to pass legislation that would limit the rights granted to detainees.
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Jonathan Weisman / Washington Post:
Battle Looms In Congress Over Military Tribunals — House Republicans signaled a coming clash with the Senate over the future of military tribunals yesterday when Armed Service Committee members indicated they were inclined to give the Bush administration largely what it wants in the conduct of terrorism trials.
Discussion:
Bring it On!
Lois Romano / Washington Post:
Beyond the Poll Numbers, Voter Doubts About Clinton — Anna Shelley, a mother of three from Utah, says she is ready for a female president, and she is sure that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has what it takes. — But Shelley, a Democrat, is not sure she could ever pull a lever for Clinton.
Amelia Gentleman / New York Times:
Mumbai Inquiry Focuses on Militants — NEW DELHI, July 12 — Senior police officials investigating Tuesday's murderous attacks on Mumbai's rail system said today that they were focusing on a Kashmiri militant group, Lashkar-e-Toiba, which has denied involvement in the attacks.
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Pete Yost / Associated Press:
Novak-Rove exchange lasted 20 seconds — WASHINGTON - Columnist Robert Novak said Wednesday that a conversation with White House aide Karl Rove that became an important part of the Valerie Plame affair lasted about 20 seconds. — Novak gave his first extended interview about his role …
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Gabriel Sherman / New York Observer:
Wall Street Rift: Journal Reporters Reject Gigot Line — The Wall Street Journal news staff can live with occasional opposition from the paper's editorial page. What it can't live with is the editorial page's support. — "People feel like we're walking around with knives in our backs," one news staffer said.
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Jon Tevlin / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Couric's Twin Cities visit a well-oiled machine — The hugely popular media star held a closed-to-the-media "listening session," then attended a fundraiser for a local charity. — It was a well-orchestrated media event that excluded the media, a private invitation-only meeting in the brand …
Patrick Hynes / Ankle Biting Pundits:
Web Video Too Low Even for DemoRATS — The Democrats' landslide must not be working out as planned, because the DCCC has just unleashed the most appalling wed video since MoveOn.org's "Bush is Hitler" ads. My guess is the backlash against this video will be so strong …
Jonathan E. Kaplan / The Hill:
Eyeing '08, Warner woos his party with $860,500 — Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner (D) has ramped up his fundraising for congressional Democratic incumbents and challengers, signaling a national organizing strategy to position the centrist Southerner for a White House bid in 2008.
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MyDD